Sports

Members of the band invited some Wildcats players to join them for an informal game before a concert in May.

Written ByMarc Lancaster

Four Kentucky soccer players are facing punishment after violating NCAA rules by participating in a pickup game with members of the Foo Fighters.

The Courier-Journal reported that four current Wildcats players — three from the men's team, one from the women's — were invited by members of the band to play in a pickup game prior to the Foos' May 1 concert in Lexington. That was a week before final exams, when team activities are prohibited.

The players will have to sit out two team activities, like practices or meetings, for the rule violation, the report said.

Kentucky compliance officials uncovered the violation when they checked the pass list for the Foo Fighters' show at Rupp Arena and found the athletes' names.

They were able to remove the names ahead of the concert, thus avoiding further NCAA sanctions for impermissible benefits, but realized the pickup game was a violation and self-reported it to the NCAA.